Ecosystem

NOW LIVE: Happy BIRD TICKET DROP

Get your ticket for #bits26

28 - 30 Sep 2026

Trade Fair Grounds & Oktoberfest

Why are startup tickets cheaper?

Startup tickets are cheaper because this event is made from founders, for founders. We invest in you, so you can invest in your vision.

€999

exkl. MwSt

€429

Price guaranteed for:

Who is this ticket for?

You were founded between 2015 and 2026

You have a scalable business model

You have 1 to 100 employees

GET YOUR TICKET

What does my ticket include?

3-day pass to all stages & networking areas

Bits & Pretzels matchmaking tools to connect with 7,500 attendees

Access to 2,000+ Business Angels and VCs

Official After Party (Day 1)

Oktoberfest with Table Captain meetings (Day 3)

Share this with your team via E-Mail.

THOUSANDS OF DEALS STARTED AT BITS & PRETZELS

€700m

Capital raised

€182m

Capital raised

€1.29BN

Capital raised

€194m

Capital raised

€58m

Capital raised

€41m

Capital raised

€28m

Capital raised

€17m

Capital raised

€230m

Capital raised

THAT'S WHAT INVESTORS SAY:

The most valuable outcome of exhibiting at the event was that a visit to our booth led to our first major corporate pilot project. It connected us with one of the world's largest EV manufacturers and opened the door to strategic deals and funding opportunities.

Dr. Jonathan Spitz, GaussML

The conversations at Bits & Pretzels gave us the visibility we needed at the right time. We came to the event with a vision, and left with validation, funding leads, and a broader community that believes in our mission: to connect the unconnected, sustainably. Now flyvbird is ready to scale thanks partially to the momentum built at Bits & Pretzels.

Tomislav Lang, flyvbird

At Bits & Pretzels, meeting new connections turned out to be more important than expected. One year later, we’re close to a partnership with what might be the best possible match in Germany for our company. Even early investor talks were refreshingly open-minded.

Guido Sluijsmans, NEXTdriver

Bits & Pretzels helped us connect with like-minded founders in healthcare and longevity, gain media visibility, and strengthen our credibility with investors. Since then, we successfully closed our seed investment round this spring, an important milestone for Avancell Medical.

Angelika Reich, Avancell Medical

€1999

exkl. MwSt

€749

Price guaranteed for:

Who is this ticket for?

You are a founder or employee of a VC, private equity company, accelerator, incubator OR

You are a Business Angel

GET YOUR TICKET

What does my ticket include?

3-day pass to all stages & networking areas + Investor Summit, Europe's top LP & VC event (Day 1)

Meet 1,500+ leading VCs and 300+ LPs

Bits & Pretzels matchmaking tools to connect with 7,500 attendees

Official After Party (Day 1)

Oktoberfest with Table Captain meetings (Day 3)

Startup Book with key data insights on exhibiting and pitching startups for strategic investment decisions and optimal conference navigation.

Share this with your colleague via E-Mail.

THOUSANDS OF DEALS STARTED AT BITS & PRETZELS

€700m

Capital raised

€182m

Capital raised

€1.29BN

Capital raised

€194m

Capital raised

€58m

Capital raised

€41m

Capital raised

€28m

Capital raised

€17m

Capital raised

€230m

Capital raised

THAT'S WHAT INVESTORS SAY:

Scaleups across Europe are gaining momentum, with founders looking for the right partners to realise global ambitions. Now more than ever, growth investing is key. To keep Europe competitive, we need a powerhouse ecosystem where European innovation can truly scale. Bits & Pretzels plays a key role in fostering exchange and connecting key players.

Franziska Kayser, KKR

AI is no longer just a tool; it's the foundation of the next industrial revolution. As l've said before - let's be Al Makers, not Takers. We need to build companies that are leading this transformation, not just riding the wave, but shaping it and redefining entire industries.

Alex Schmitt, Lightspeed Venture Partners

As LPs, venture capital for us is about more than providing funding. It’s about backing the leaders who will shape the future. We seek those rare partnerships where vision aligns with discipline, and ambition meets execution. Events like Bits & Pretzels are where those partnerships begin.

Greg Schmitt, MEAG

European tech markets are at an all-time high thanks to the success of tech entrepreneurs and private investors over the past decade. However, the flywheel of innovation needs liquidity to continue accelerating. [...] In the absence of vibrant IPO and M&A markets, secondary funds are more important than ever to build a fully functional private capital market in Europe. [...]

Joe Schorge, Isomer Capital

Ecosystem

€1999

excl. VAT

€999

Price guaranteed for:

Who is this ticket for?

You represent an agency, consultancy, corporate or law firm

You do not fall into the startup, scaleup or investor category

GET YOUR TICKET

What does my ticket include?

3-day pass to all stages & networking areas

Bits & Pretzels matchmaking tools to connect with 7,500 attendees

Access to 2,000+ Business Angels and VCs

Official After Party (Day 1)

Oktoberfest with Table Captain meetings (Day 3)

Free Food & Drinks at day 1 & 2

Share this with your team via E-Mail.

THOUSANDS OF DEALS STARTED AT BITS & PRETZELS

€700m

Capital raised

€480m

Capital raised

€1.29BN

Capital raised

€88m

Capital raised

€58m

Capital raised

€41m

Capital raised

€28m

Capital raised

€17m

Capital raised

€230m

Capital raised

THAT'S WHAT FOUNDERS SAY:

Dr. Jonathan Spitz, GaussML

Tomislav Lang, flyvbird

At Bits & Pretzels, meeting new connections turned out to be more important than expected. One year later, we're close to a partnership with what might be the best possible match in Germany for our company. Even early investor talks were refreshingly open-minded.

Guido Sluijsmans, NEXTdriver

Angelika Reich, Avancell Medical

CONNECT WITH 1,500 EXECUTIVES

With over 1,500 C-level executives converging from FinTech, SaaS, E-mobility, Energy, IoT, and AI — Bits & Pretzels Founders Festival is more than a conference — it's a nexus of cross-industry innovation and business-making.  This is the place where business meets vision, ideas turn into opportunities, and connections count.

What makes bits special

"When Personio was still young we exhibited three times. Going out and speaking to potential clients and talents was key for our growth."

Hanno Renner

Co-founder & CEO, Personio

"Bits & Pretzels was planned and structured so well. We didn't feel overwhelmed, tired, or anything like that at any moment-we were simply experiencing experiences."

Gjore Lazarov

Co-founder, Moxelle/Worwise

"I would recommend everyone to try it out not just once, but for 2, 3, 4 years to also build up a certain network within the event."

Frederik Schroeder

Senior Account Manager, Tidely

"I really liked the atmosphere. Even though we were doing business, there was some art all around - people dancing, singing, and playing music."

Lucilla Crosta

CEO, EdulaiSmarthink

3 REASONS WHY GOING TO
BITS IS WORTH IT

EUROPE’S TOP STARTUPS. ALL IN ONE PLACE.

Discover Europe’s most relevant startups across industries. With 3,000+ founders, 300 exhibitors, and 80 startups pitching on stage, Bits & Pretzels gives corporations and service companies a front-row seat to what’s next.

NETWORKING MADE EFFORTLESS

Connecting with the right people shouldn’t be left to chance. 80+ expert matchmakers help you reach your innovation, partnership, and investment goals, while smart formats and the conference app unlock access to all 7,500 attendees.

OFF-THE-RECORD INSIGHTS FROM TOP LEADERS

Learn directly from Europe’s leading corporations. CxOs from global companies share hard-earned lessons and strategic insights, off the record and straight to the point. Take away ideas you can apply tomorrow.

WILL I REALLY MEET INVESTORS?

Connect in over 21,000 curated founder-investor meetings across 3 days with 1 in 4 attendees actively investing. In 2024 alone, startups raised ~€4.2 billion post-event.

JUST ANOTHER EVENT WITHOUT NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES?

Plan 1:1 meetings in advance and use our matchmaking to connect with key players. Unique: our Oktoberfest networking led by 250+ founders, investors, and leaders.

DEALS IN A ONE-OF-A-KIND SETTING

Learn directly from experienced founders, investors, and operators in 40+ practical sessions covering fundraising, scaling, go-to-market, and expansion with takeaways you can apply the next day.

ALL IN ONE PLACE

Connect with 7,500 founders, VCs and LPs - meet investors, build partnerships and win customers.

NETWORKING THAT DELIVERS

Plan 1:1 meetings in advance and use our matchmaking to connect with key players. Unique: our Oktoberfest networking led by 250+ founders, investors, and leaders.

ACTIONABLE KNOWLEDGE

Learn directly from experienced founders, investors, and operators in 40+ practical sessions covering fundraising, scaling, go-to-market, and expansion with takeaways you can apply the next day.

FAQ

Is there a possibility to get a refund if I am not able to come?

Unfortunately, the tickets are non-refundable. If you can find someone who can attend the event instead of you, it’s possible to transfer the ticket to another person as long as the change has been made before the event. If a ticket has already been assigned, you can reassign the ticket up to two weeks before the event. To do so, please send an email to hello@bitsandpretzels.com. Please be aware that the new ticket holder has to fit the ticket category. Otherwise the exchange might be denied.

How can I pay for my ticket?

We accept credit card and PayPal payments. Payment by invoice is currently available upon request only.

Is the startup ticket valid for the whole team or just per person?

Every team member who wants to attend needs their own ticket to get access to the festival.

Can I buy passes on behalf of my team members?

Yes, you can. After purchasing the tickets you can assign each ticket to different owners by personalizing each of them. Please make sure to use an individual email address for each user. Additionally, you can forward the tickets to the respective attendees for personalization.

Can I transfer a ticket to another person?

Yes. If a ticket has already been assigned, you can reassign the ticket up to two weeks before the event. To do so, please send an email to hello@bitsandpretzels.com. Please be aware that the new ticket holder has to fit the ticket category. Otherwise the exchange might be denied.

Can I book meetings with other attendees before the event?

Yes, you can, and most of the meetings are booked already prior to the event, right after we’ve opened our Matchmaking Tool which will go live up to 4 weeks before the event.

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Our Matchmaking tool allows you to:

Discover any registered visitors, startups or investors, based on your search criteria
Book and manage 1:1 meetings
Connect with prospective attendees in the Meeting Area
Chat with people directly prior before meeting

What about tickets for the media?

Media tickets are intended for journalists and editorial press teams. We have a limited number of passes available, and therefore prioritize outlets with significant following and journalists who show a track record of writing about startups, technology, or venture capital. Freelancers, podcasters, bloggers, videographers, content creators and other individual contributors are also welcome to apply but will be screened more thoroughly for relevance.

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Please apply here: Accreditation Form.

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Communications and PR professionals and non-editorial employees of media companies are kindly advised to purchase the Ecosystem Pass.

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